


He will come back...

by SheWillHuntYouDown



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Angst with a Happy Ending, Awesome Magnus Bane, Brotherly Love, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Reunions, Reunited and It Feels So Good, Spies, Tattoos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-01
Updated: 2020-09-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:41:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26232088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SheWillHuntYouDown/pseuds/SheWillHuntYouDown
Summary: Magnus knows what all of Alec's tattoos mean... except for one.
Relationships: Alec Lightwood & Jace Wayland, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Comments: 6
Kudos: 99
Collections: September Server Scavenger Hunt 2020





	He will come back...

**Author's Note:**

> From a prompt on The Hunter's Moon Discord!
> 
> Beta'd by the lovely NvrLndBoi!!
> 
> Thankyou so much for all your help and for encouraging me when I felt like I wasn't any good at this!!!

Beta'd by the lovely [NvrLndBoi!](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NvrLndBoi/pseuds/NvrLndBoi)

____________________________________________________

"You've told me what all of your tattoos mean, over the years.” Magnus begins, “We even have a matching set from when we got married. So I can say I know them all. That is, except for this one..." Magnus tentatively moves his hand to point at the dark ink splashed across Alec's hipbone. The tattoo is just dark lines and abrupt ends, but there is a certain beauty to the design. The thought of it being a part of a pair solidifies itself in Magnus’ mind every time he is allowed a peek of his husband’s hips. 

Alec’s eyes follow Magnus’ hand to his own skin, and when he realises which spot his husband is referring to, Alec’s expression turns somber. The overwhelming sensation, over the conflicting feelings of sadness and fondness being presented, etching itself on Alec’s face. 

"I don't enjoy talking about it often. Hell, only three people actually know what it's about and only one of them knows the full story..." Alec responds, as he attempts to keep his emotions in check.

Magnus knows two of those three people are Izzy and Max, Alec’s younger sister and brother, but he doesn't think Alec is close enough to anyone else to tell them about his personal life.

"Do you remember, I told you about Jace? Our parents adopted him when I was twelve," Alec begins, his voice still tinted with sadness.

"Yes... Didn't he, forgive my crassness, die?"

"That was what we were told as well. Jace and I joined the army together, did 2 tours of Iraq. Afterwards, Jace went off to work for the CIA.” Alec’s eyes are misting over as he attempts to continue, “It had only been a few weeks since he started when his boss called us. He said Jace died in action. It was a bad op. They were fed wrong information, and he got killed because of it. All of us believed him, why wouldn't we? We didn’t have a reason not to.” Alec grips at his hands, trying to calm down. 

“That was until about 2 years ago, right before I met you actually, he showed up at my apartment one night. Said he'd been in a deep cover op for over two years and that he had to go back.” Alec’s breath hitches as he tries to get the last of his tale out. “He had a day's leave and he came to see me..." a few tears slip past Alec’s eyes as he finishes, honestly, he's surprised he's made it this far.

Magnus grabs Alec's hand and strokes his thumb over Alec's wrist. Alec clutches back hard, needing his husband's support in that moment. 

"It's ok Alexander, you don't have to tell me," Magnus attempts to soothe him.

"No, no, I need to get this off my chest, tell someone. You're the only person I can trust with this," Alec tries his best to give Magnus a small smile, but his husband can still see the unbearable sadness behind his eyes.

"So, he came home and he told me that he had to stay dead. That he was leaving the next day and he didn't know when he was coming back, if he was even coming back at all.” Alec’s eyes are damp again with fresh tears, “I asked him why he came back. Said he'd have been better off dead. I was angry, I think. At the time all I could think of was how cruel this was. I was only thinking of my feelings. Jace cried that day, the first time in all the years that I have known him," Silent tears were dripping off Alec's cheeks by the last words. 

Magnus moves his other hand to join the first as he tries to offer as much support as he can to Alec. Trying to coax Alec to lean against him as he continues the sordid story. 

"I took him out to lunch and we just walked around the city. We were passing by this tattoo parlor when I saw a sign saying two designs for the price of one. He took one look at it and agreed immediately."

"We went in, the artist took one look at us and started sketching. She kept talking about how we reminded her of her younger brothers. I actually still keep in touch with her, Clary, I think her name was..."

"Clary Fairchild?" Magnus asks abruptly, confusing Alec as he just nods in response.

"Her mother was one of my mom's best friends. I knew Clary as a kid, even babysat her once or twice, though she's only 5 years younger than me," Magnus provides noticing the confused look Alec is throwing his way.

“Oh,” Alec nods, thinking what a small world they live in."She was the one who designed the tattoo. As soon as she was done I got my first ink, sitting in a tattoo parlor in New York, with no planning, no forethought, clutching Jace's hand for dear life," Alec laughs, a single loud, happy and mournful note. Magnus' heart aches for his husband.

"Before he left, Jace told me that as long as the tattoo didn't fade, he was still alive out there somewhere.” Alec’s voice cracks as he attempts to get the words out, “He said that he couldn't promise that he would come home, but that he would sure as hell try—" Alec couldn’t hold it in anymore and allows his husband to pull him into his shoulder, burying his face there for a moment. 

He pulls away and looks at Magnus afterward and mutters in a soft voice, “So now you know." 

"Now I know. Thank you for sharing this with me, Alexander. I'm sure wherever he is, Jace still loves you and wants to come back home. Now, how about some ice cream?" Magnus suggests and Alec gives a small nod, happy to drop the conversation there.

_______________________________

The days following Alec's confession go on as they normally do in the Lightwood-Bane household, except for one small detail. Magnus seems to be hiding something from Alec. He keeps slipping away at odd hours and receiving phone calls, excusing himself to answer them.

Alec trusts Magnus, so the only explanation that he can think of is that Magnus is planning something. Something big. He always gets this, I'm-doing-something-but-you're-gonna-like-it type of face when he's planning something for Alec.

So Alec waits, and his curiosity grows, but he was an army sniper. Waiting is something he can do well. 

One bright autumn day it all comes to a head. Alec comes back home from one of his sessions at the archery range, to find their loft's door ajar. He grips the small blade in his pocket and pushes the door open the rest of the way slowly. 

"Magnus? You in here?" he calls out trying to look around for anything out of place.

Alec tenses as he hears footsteps coming from the bedroom. 

"Alexander, you're home!" Magnus calls out a greeting.

At the sound of his husband’s voice, Alec's body starts to relax instantly. 

Magnus takes notice of the knife Alec is hastily trying to put away. "Did I leave the door open? How stupid of me!" 

"No, no, it's ok, I was just being paranoid. How was your day?" Alec asks as he takes off his jacket.

"It was very fruitful. I have a surprise for you!" 

The archer smiles softly at the enthusiasm in his husband's tone.

"My, my, big brother, didn't know your type was loud and bubbly!" 

"Hey, that's my husband you're talking about!" Alec responds before his mind can catch up to his mouth. Then Alec’s body goes rigid because that voice, Alec knows that voice. He had thought the owner of that voice was gone. 

The air leaves his lungs in a great whoosh and Alec’s world stops for a second as a single word tumbles out, coated in pain and a dash of hope.

"Jace?" The word sounds so far away to Alec’s ears. 

A figure steps into the hallway from the spare bedroom and Alec's vision focuses. What he sees is either his oldest little brother or a very good impersonator of him.

"Hey Alec," Alec observes the way the person stuffs his hands in his pockets to avoid looking at him. Nobody else could have gotten that right. It hits Alec all of a sudden, as his lungs open up again, that this really is Jace. 

Alec speed walks to where Jace is standing before Jace can lift his head again. He takes a long look at the person standing before him, from the new scar on Jace’s temple to the same old crease between his brows. Alec smiles encouragingly, at the deer-in-headlights look Jace is sporting.

He raises a hand, very slowly, up to his brother's cheek and feels him, close and real, for the first time in over two years.

Alec watches as Jace tears up, knowing he isn't that far behind. He slowly guides Jace's head to rest on his shoulder. Jace follows with his entire body, tucking his head under Alec's chin. Alec raises his arms to wrap around the younger one when he feels two hands wrap around his waist to clutch at him tighter.

"You're home," Alec whispers softly. It's quiet, just louder than an exhale, but with how close they are, Jace hears it. "

I'm home. And this time, I'm staying," Alec lets himself go at that. With tears building up in his eyes he clutches onto Jace, thinking that if he lets go he will disappear, only stopping to look up briefly and shoot an excited Magnus a grateful smile. This is what his husband had been planning for him apparently. 

Magnus returns the smile and makes a motion for Alec to continue his reunion as he leaves the brothers alone to their moment.

Alec buries his nose in the blond mess in front of him, happiness and relief take him over when the familiar scent of Jace vanilla shampoo reaches his nose.

On a bright autumn day in a Brooklyn loft’s hallway, two brothers hold each other for the first time in a long time. Fate herself could not have taken this moment from them, not that she wanted to.

**Author's Note:**

> Excuse my weird grammar, English isn't my first language, or even my second...
> 
> Comments and kudos are always welcome!!!!


End file.
